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John Rackham was one of the least succesful pirates from the so-called Golden Age. In spite of his unimpressive track record, he is one of the most remembered, and appears in some beloved games and movies, like Assassin’s Creed, and of course, Black Sails. I don’t think we should only remember the pirates who had “succesful” careers, whatever that means anyway. John Rackham is important to remember, -because- he was an abject failure. It gives us an insight into what it was like, for most pirates, especially during this time period.
Modern sources:
Dictionary of Pyrate Biography – Baylus C. Brooks
Piracy: The Complete History – Angus Konstam
The Golden Age of Piracy – Benerson Little
Period sources:
The Tryals of Captain John Rackham and Other Pirates – National Library of Jamaica
A General History of the Pyrates(vol 1) – Captain Charles Johnson
A General History of the Pyrates(vol 2) – Captain Charles Johnson
A Proclamation – Woodes Rogers(accessed via: )
The Natural, Moral, and Political History of Jamaica – James Knight
(newspaper mentions of John Rackham etc)
Music credits:
Kevin MacLeod
Timestamps:
0:00 The worst pirate ever?
1:50 The fake backstory
6:17 Volume 1
8:42 Volume 2
11:41 Ann and John?
12:49 The true story
21:51 His career summarized
22:29 Outfit and flag
25:03 Rackham in media
28:15 Outro
#pirates #biography #calico #rackham
More videos on The Rackham Gang:Mary Read: https://youtu.be/tLHRr5ZEa5YAnn Bonny: https://youtu.be/t8J7g85CZ4I
But you have heard of him. He is also remembered as the lover of both Anne Bonny and Mary Read. (that is until he hid behind some barrels and let Anne do the fighting) but 300 years later and everyone still remembers him. So…do you think that anyone will remember you in 300 years from now? 🎩⚑
LOL This has got to be the most salty bitter historic YouTube video I have ever seen.
Im about to change all of pirate history with this comment…. Like to hear it..
Was flint a real person
Someone is jealous and I bet if he was in his spot he would not have raided one and if he was a failure he would not be remembered your a. Disgrace and should not be doing these
All these stories, and i'm waiting for the ones that involve Captain James Flint and the Walrus…
Its hilarious most depictions of Anne and Mary show them to be fairly comely women, and I'm REALLY sceptical about that lol
If you haven't yet you should talk about Our flag means death the HBO series
entertaining- a nice piece of detective work.
He was much cooler in Black Flag^^
Thanks man
But you have heard of him…
Nice work Mr.
Thanks….
Stop saying no evidence every other minute. It ruins the story we get it there's no evidence of any of this. Anybody who was with him would have been dead a long time ago.
Everything about this mans behaviour says he was the simpy try hard of pirates. Btw men did wear calico. It refers to a roughly finished type of fabric from Calicut India regardless of what colour or pattern is on it.
This is probably the first time this poor man agreed with Assassin’s Creed about a pirate
Bro showed no mercy on poor Calico 😂😂
A pirate? More like a mugging desperate simp that grabbed two would-be gold diggers who he likely fooled with stories about riches and sailing around the world. 1/10
But his story continues…… I think Gina Davis played him that wonderful movie.What's with the screwed up dates? 1780, 1720s?Ah, thanks, the cc helps.
Didn't the two women plead the belly and live for at least a bit longer
So basically John Rackham was the real life version of the Pirate Captain from The Pirates: Band of Misfits, haha
You know what????….
After watching this video i prefer the black flag john rackham over the real one……….
Always loved they he talks with anne Bonny or smoke pipes over barrels of black powder……..
13:10 i almost spit my rum out💀
Rackham is important for two reasons. The Calico Jack flag, his own design, which is now the most common depiction of the pirate flag. The second is Anne Bonny and Mary Reed, and the intrigue of their story. Nothing else seems very relevant of his life or career. He was in many ways a small timer with little impact otherwise.
Marriage records from the 1700s in the US aren’t always that simple to find. Just saying.
I enjoyed this! Just goes to show, 'facts' of History change all the time. Better not think about how inaccurate it gets when we go as far back as Napoleon or Caesar or, dare I say… Jesus? 🙂
(But.. in the films, actors have an influence but in the end it's always the Director who decides who wears hats & shades! 😎)
And thats why he became a Youtuber… True Story
Jack Rackham is a cool name, nuff said
Rack'em? I hardly know 'em.
Do I hear final fantasy music in the background there 🥰🥰🥰🥰
There was story about a pirate ship attacking a Spanish held Caribbean island & taking a real beating. With a massively reduced crew, heavily injured comrades, a damaged ship & dwindling water & the supplies they them decided to….. ATTACK JAMAICA! 😂I wish Englishmen, or what is left of them nowadays, had those balls!
LoL.. I thought "worst" in the titke meant most bad ass.
I’m out front 😮
I always wondered why Spanish speaking people perjorativly call us (🇬🇧) "Pirates." Now I know….
And just to add "jack" was a nickname for any sailor! They were "jack tars" the lot of'm.
I really appreciate that you dive into the sources. Whether it's the inconsistent accounts, the ways they were fabricated, or the actual court documents, fact is more interesting than fiction.
Jack's GGGrandpa… 😂
He might have gotten the Calico moniker from the women who were part of his crew/led his crew/were associated with his crew and from the fact he never really fought. If he was a bit of a girly pirate, never fighting and associating freely with women, it stands to reason he would have been labeled 'Calico Jack' as an insinuation of his unsound and girly temperament.
What a D bag. Going after fishing boats
Nooo Black Sails lied???
Most inept..? Nah that was probably Regi 😉
Today they rob boat's
tomorrow they run
government & hold
election's Biden won.
But you got to admit, he does have a cool last name.
Jack Rackham is the equivalent of a D tier bank robber in modern days. Just the average unfortunate sailing pillager of the seas.